We also asked our readers what they tried for the first time during summer vacation and got hundreds of responses. Here are some edited excerpts.

Chased the Eclipse

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Viewers in Kansas City, Mo. CreditCharlie Riedel/Associated Press

Headed to Kansas City, Mo., to see the total solar eclipse, which is not visible in Ontario, Canada, where I live. — Janis Rapaport

Crossed the Jordanian Border

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Petra, JordanCreditAdam Pretty/Getty Images

We did a one-day excursion to Petra, Jordan, from Eilat, Israel. The trip to Petra was amazing, but the end was terrible. We boarded a bus to Petra and returned to the Israel border at night. Because my wife was born in Israel, they talked to her extensively. The tour bus, without even telling us, left the area to return to Eilat. After waiting more than 40 minutes in the hope that the company would send a car for us, the border control finally called us a cab. — Marty Schonberger

Motorcycled in Hue

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A bridge leading to the former imperial citadel of Hue, Vietnam. CreditHoang Dinh Nam/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

I zoomed around the streets of Hue, Vietnam, on the back of a motorbike, dodging cars, trucks and a panicked cow. — Mary Alice McLoughlin

Climbed the Eiffel Tower

I climbed the 668 steps to the second level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. — Gail Miller

Explored the Great Barrier Reef

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CreditMatt Curnock/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

After the sudden and devastating death of my 24-year-old son in April, I needed to grab on to life. I traveled alone to Australia to begin a journey of the spirit (Aboriginal Uluru and Kata Tjuta) and appreciation of nature (Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest) in my son’s memory.— Juli Harris

Was in Both Hemispheres at Once

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CreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

I did a handstand with one hand on each side of the Equator.— Stacy Kissel

Saw the Gowanus Up Close

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The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. CreditDonna Alberico for The New York Times

I canoed the Gowanus Canal! Who knew?!— Cassie Lovett

Hiked a Mountain, Four Times Over

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Mont Tremblant in Quebec.CreditYannick Grandmont for The New York Times

I solo hiked up Mont Tremblant, in Quebec, four times, using four different routes, and revived my soul.— Jonathan Green

Correction:

An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of a town in Israel. It is Eilat, not Eliot.